Compound foundation for plural wells



A ril 23, 1935.

| B. COLLINS COMPOUND FOUNDATION FOR PLURAL WELLS Filed March 17, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 "i Aprll 23, 1935. B. COLLINS COMPOUND FOUNDATION FOR PLURAL WELLS Filed March 17, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill orntys April 23, 1935. B. COLLINS COMPOUND FOUNDATION FOR PLURAL WELLS Fil ed March 17, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l l I l I II- IIII II Invent/1r Patented Apr. 23, 1935 "Lawrence B. Collins, fiipplication 2 Claims.

Thisv invention relates to improvements in foundation structures, particularly well founda-' tion, used to support a derrick or drilling rig where the nature .-;{"of the location subjects the 5 foundation to lateral stresses such as are developed by wave action, swift currents, wind pressure, etc. The invention also relates to methods of drilling wells iwhereby a plurality of well holes may be readily drilled on the same foundation structure, thereby permitting a large output to be obtained from one or more sands or depths simultaneously with minimum expense.

This invention is particularly directed toward a foundation structure and method of drilling which may be utilized whenever the location at which itis desired to drill a well presents obstaclesl which prevent the utilization of ordinary dry land type of foundation for the drilling rig or derrick. For example, it is often desirable to locate a well in tide land or on a beach, lake,

.-;-; swamp, riverbed, river bank, bog, bayou, lagoon, etc. In all such locations it is necessary to erect a foundation structure capable of withstanding the effect of currents, wave action, or to side- 25 quately support the heavy static and live loads even when the ground is unstable. A foundation capable of supporting such loads necessitates the use of piers, wharves, columns, pilings, caissons, coffer ,dams, or combinations thereof, and necessarily such foundation structures involve the expenditure of considerable sums of money. After a suitable foundation structure has been .erected in an exposed position and drilling of the well has progressed somewhat, there have been numerous instances where it was necessary to abandon the entire foundation because of repeated cavings, lost tools, or other causes. In some instances it has been possible to start drilling through the same hole a second time but in other instances the entire expensive foundation structure had to be abandoned and a new one erected at an adjoining location.

An object of this invention is to disclose and provide a foundation structure whereby one or more well holes may be drilled from the same foundation so that in the event the operator is not successful in drilling a well hole to the oil body or the desired depth, another well hole may be drilled from the same foundation without incurring the expense of building another foundation.

Another objectv of this invention is to disclose and provide a compound foundation structure whereby a' plurality of well holes may be drilled 1,998,803 com'ormn FOUNDA'HON ron rwmm WELLS PATENT OFFICE Santa Barbara, Calif.

March 17, 1933, Serial No. 661,223

from the same foundation to different depths orto different oil bodies.

A further object of this invention is to disclose and provide a method of drilling well holes whereby production from different sections of a given 5 sand or from separate sands or oil bodies may be obtained from a single foundation structure.

These and other objects, uses and advantages of this invention together with numerous modifications and adaptations thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdetailed description of a preferred form of structure, several modifications thereof and methods whereby such structures may be effectively utilized, and the method of operation of this invention carried out.

In describing the invention, reference will be had to the appended drawings, in which Fig. 1 is aside elevation of one form of compound foundation coming within the scope of this 20 invention. v

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top deck ofthe foundation shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of a portion of the foundation shown in Fig. 2, this section being 25 taken along the plane 33 indicated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of foundation.

Fig. 5 is a plan cation.

Fig. 1 illustrates a foundation similar to that shown in my prior Patent No. 1,868,494, this foundation consisting essentially of a vertical column I of substantially circular horizontal section, preferably made of concrete and steel encased (at least during construction) up to about mean water level. As shown in Fig. 1, the drawings show the foundation erected in a body of water, the lower portion of the column I being surrounded by a stabilizing ring 2. The column is suita- 4 bly reinforced and has a well or cavity 3 formed in its upper end, this well or cavity providing a suitable chamber for the collection of drilling mud, overflow oil, drippings, valves, etc. The upper end of the column is also provided with I an enlarged top or floor 4, this floor, in the pre-f ferred embodiment of this'invention, exceeding in area the base area of the derrick or drilling rig 5 which it is desired to support on the founation.

1 Structural details of the specific foundation shown in Fig. l are not given as such details are given inthe prior Patent No. 1,868,494. Furthermore, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to a foundation which employs a view of a still further modifi- 30 single column such as the column I, as any suitable strong foundation structure capable of supporting the desired loads and withstanding the stresses imposed thereon may be used.

It isnecessary, however, that the top of the foundation structure be of larger area than the base area of the drilling rig for reasons which will become apparent from the subsequently given description.

Positioned within the area of the foundation structure, that is, immediately beneath the top 4 of the foundation, is a plurality of conductor pipes. As shown in Fig. l, for example, three conductor pipes 6, 1 and 8 are shown embedded in the column I of the foundation, these conductor pipes extending into the solid ground beneath the foundation and also into the well 3 in the top of the column and beneath the floor 4.

These three conductor pipes are spaced for successful drilling operations through each and as shown in Fig. 2, they are in alignment. Preferably when two or more conductor pipes are used, they are in alignment in a direction parallel to the drive chains of the drawworks.

The top 4, as stated, is of greater area than the base area of the derrick 5. .When two or more conductor pipes are in alignment, the top 4 is preferably longer than it is wide, the added length extending in the direction in which the conductor pipes are aligned. Furthermore, the

- top 4 is provided with supporting and holding means adapted to cooperatewith the base of the derrick so as to hold the derrick in the desired drilling or working position above the desired conductor pipe. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3,, the supporting and holding means carried by the top 4 maycomprise suitable members II], II, I! and I3 firmly embedded or anchored in the top 4, the members I to It being provided with undercut grooves such as the grooves l4 and I 5 adapted to receive anchor bolts l6 and I1 respectively, these anchor bolts being engageable with and slidable in the undercut rooves and I5. These anchor bolts i6 and I! extend through holes provided in the footing angles or cornercastings 18 attached to or forming a part of the rig or derrick.

By the means described hereinabove, it is possible to move the derrick from the position indicated in solid lines in Fig. 1, wherein the derrick is in position to drill through the conductor pipe 6, into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, wherein the rig is in position for drilling or working through the conductor pipe 8. It is therefore evident that means have been provided whereby the derrick may be locked to the holding means and to the foundation structure in a plurality of drilling positions. By loosening the anchor bolts, the drilling rig may be moved into position over any of the conduc-.

tor pipes in any suitable manner as, for example,

by the use of jacks, winches, etc., and then locked in the new position by tightening the anchor bolts.

When two or three conductor pipes are inalignment in a direction paralleling the drive chains of the drawworks, the lengths of chain may be readily changed so as to continue operations in a new position, thereby obviating the necessity of moving the drawworks or other elaborate arrangements.

Fig. 4 illustrates the plan .of a top for a foundation structure which permits movement of the derrick in two directions at right angles to each other. The foundation top 4 is here shown provided with anchor means consisting of metallic castings 20 to 23, each of said castings being provided with undercut grooves 24 at rightangles to each other. An arrangement of anchor bolts engageable with the base of the derrick, the anchor bolts cooperating with the undercut grooves of the members 20 to 23, makes it possible to adjustably position the derrick on the top 4 in a plurality of different positions so as to permit drilling, for example through the conductor pipes 25, 26, 21, 28 and 29.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the floor or top 4 of the foundation structure is provided with heavy cast iron slabs 30 to 33, suitably embedded or attached to the top or the reinforcing therein. These anchor plates or slabs are provided with a plurality of tapped holes 34, 35, and the like, adapted to receive the threaded ends of suitable anchor bolts, said anchor bolts being capable of engaging or holding the corner plates of a derrick structure.

' It will be obvious that by removing the anchor bolts, the derrick may be moved from one position to another on the anchor plates soas to be capable of drilling or working through any of the conductor pipes positioned beneath the floor and preferably encased in concrete or otherwise made a part of the foundation structure.

The plurality of casings is made a part of the foundation structure at the time the foundation structure is erected, thereby obviating the necessity of drilling through the foundation and perhaps injuring it when it is desired to drill an adjoining hole.

Furthermore, this invention contemplates the drilling of a plurality of well holes from the same foundation into different oil bodies or into different sections of an oil body. A well may be drilled through conductor pipe 6, for example, to one oil body at one depth whereas another well may be drilled through the conductor pipe I to a diiferent oil body at a lower depth. As a result, production from two separate zones or bodies may be simultaneously had from the same foundation structure.

Furthermore, by the judicious use of whipstocks during drilling, a third well may be drilled through the conductor pipe 8, for example, to a different portion than either of the bodies of Oil tapped by wells 6 and I. In this manner, a greater production may be obtained from'the same body of oil without incurring the relatively high cost of erecting a new and separate foundation.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that numerous changes and modifications may be made not only in the specific constructional details shown herein, but also in the mode of operation described.

All such changes and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A compound foundation for well drilling operations whereby a plurality of well holes may operations whereby a plurality of well holes may be drilled on the same foundation, comprising a foundation structure provided with an enlarged top exceeding in area the base area of a derrick, a. plurality of separate conductor pipes positioned within the area of said ioundationstructure and below said top, holding means carried by the top of said foundation structuiesaid holding means tion structure slidably' positioned on said holding 7 means; and locking: means adapted to cooperate with said holding; means; comers to said. holdingimeans in a plurality of drilling positions above said conductor pipes LAWRENCE B. COLLINS.

and lock the derrick 

